Fingering device for stringed instruments



April 6 1926.

H. K, SANDELL FINGERING DEVICE FOR STRINGED INSTRUMENTS Filed July 15 1922 755% QZZ hmm,

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Patented Apr. 6, 1925. i

idi'iilti'dll HENRY K. SANDELL, CTICAGO, LLINOS, ASSGNUR TO MILLS NOVELTY Colli:- 'lANY, OF GI'GAGO, LLNQIS, A CORPORATION GF ILLINOIS.

Firrennrns nnvron son STRlG-ED ENSTRUMENTS.

To all 'whom 'it `/msfj/ Coface/'1a.'

lie it known that l, lfinNur l. ilan'nnnn,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and Aiitcdie of lllinois, have invented a new and useful, Improvement in fingering Devices for Stringed Instrulnentaot' which the following is a specilication. Y

The present invention relates to improve ments in lingering devices for self-playing stringed instruments of the viol class and particularly for such instruments of the type described in my prior Patent No, 1,094,812), dat-ed April 28, 1914, andwill be fully understood from the following description, illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which a device embodying the invention is .illustrated In the drawings- Figure 1 is a sectional view showing a group of the lingering devices constructed in accordance with the present invention in elevation; and Figure 2 isV a broken sectional view showing a group of the lingering devices of Figure 1 in plan.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numeral indicates the neck of a stringed instrument, which may suitably be a violin, above which are the strings 11. A 30 fulcrum bar 12, in which is formed a tapered fulcrum portion 13, extends along the side of the neck of the instrument substantially parallel to the strings. On the fulcrum portion 13 oi this bar are mounted side by side a series of fingering levers 14, of which one is provided for each note or half note on each string above the open string note. rEhe lingering levers 141 are each provided with a fulcrum notch 15 which rests upon the fulcrum portion 13 of the bar 12. Each fingering lever is also provided with an arm 16 extending in the direction of the strings of the instrument and suitably formed to extend under and to the corresponding string of the violin. The arms 16 of the fingering levers are provided with heads 17 in which are formed fingering notches 18 which engage the corresponding strings, these notches being suitably formed as disclosed in my 50 Patent No. 1,381,508, daad June 1i, 1921.

Each of the lingering levers 14 is provided with an arm 19 which extends from the fulerurn bar 1 2 opposite` to the arm 16 of the cor-'responding lever. The arms 19 terminate each in. a dewnwardiyprojecting nl e 2 to which is secured the end of a coil spring l1 the other end of which is secured to the device for actuating the fingering lever, which in the form illustrated is shown as the core of an alternating current elec-troinagnet L3. Any other suitable device for actuating the fingering' lever may be employed, for example, the armature of a direct current yeleciro-nuignet or a suitable mechanical device.

On each side of the fulcrum bar 12 and substantially parallel to it extend slotted bars 2li, the slots of which serve as guides for the movement of the arms of the lingering levers. Suitable mea-ns for returning the lingering levers to inactive position are provided. ln the form shown, an arm extends forwardly and upwardly from each lingering lever on the same side of the fulcrum as the arm 16 and from the endof each arm 25 a coil spring 26 extends to a bar 27, which in the form of construction shown is secured to the forward guide-bar 211. The felted bars 28 above the arms 19 serve as stops for their upward movement. A bar 29 extends parallel to the fulerum bar 12 slightly above the fingering levers to prevent their disengagement from the fulcrum bar.

In the operation of the lingering devices of the present invention, it is apparent that the coil springs 21 determine the force with which the strings of the instrument are engaged and that this force is substantially constant,*regardless of the position ofthe string. The present construction'is part-icularly advantageous in connection with the playing of trills, in which ahngering lever is held against one end of the string and the lingering lever playing the next higher Vnote or half note on the same string is rapidly engaged and disengaged. The engagement of the first lingering lever raises the string somewhat and by the present form of construction the second lingering lever 'is caused to engage the string with the proper force, regardless ot its displaced position.

Although the present invention has been described in connection with the details of a specific device for carrying it into effect, it is not intended that these details shall be regarded as limitations upon the scope of the invention, exceptin so far as included in the accompanying claims.

I claim: l

1l. ngering CIJ LII

lll() CTL String instrninents5 eei'nprieing ai ieier imi'Nr lng' u string-engaging neteh 'in its headed 'end and 'fnlernn'ied to extend Said notched head ben'ezth the string, und inenns VYle'r netnnting the lever lnivinggl nl resilient connection therewith.

2. A lingering` device 'lier eeltplaying string instrnn'ients, Comprising a lever having a string-engaging neteh in its headed end and 'nlernn'ied between its ends te extend said netehed end beneath the string, and lever-netnziting means having n reSiiient eenneetinn with the rear end et the lever.

3. A fingering device for Selfiplziying string instruments, comprising a lever Afnlernnied between its ends und Spring held en its ulernin, said lever having u String-en gaging noteh in italieaded end extending) beneath the string, u Slotted bnr Y tor guiding the lever-gneveinents, :ind leveirnetnating means having n resilient eenneetien with the rear end of the lever. l

QA lingering device ier eelt-playing string instrnn'ients, eeniprisin;l ai lever hnving a string-engaging neteh in its headed end and nlernnied te entend Said netehed head beneath the string', ineens ter netnating` the lever haviiigz, n resilient eenneetien 'therewith, and steps over the lever limiting the rise thereof.

5. A ingering device for self-playing String instruments, comprising e lever hilving string-engaingnnteh in its heeded end and nlernined te extend said notched head beneath the string', and en eleelrenniggnet having its armature spring-eenneeted with the opposite l everfend.

HENRY K. SNDEL 

